


Origami Heart

by fangirltillthend



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Mind Palace, Valentine's Day, Will can't forget Hannibal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:08:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29531037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirltillthend/pseuds/fangirltillthend
Summary: Will can't stop thinking about the the love he received from Hannibal on his first Valentine's day as a married couple with Molly.
Relationships: Molly Graham/Will Graham, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Kudos: 13





	Origami Heart

Will laid in bed for a moment trying to gather his thoughts before he left bed to go pick up Molly’s gift. Today was their first Valentine’s day as a married couple, and while Will hated any occasion that caused him to dress up and socialize, he knew he owed this much to Molly. She was sweet, understanding, and supporting in ways that Will had never experienced before. Still he couldn’t help where his thoughts often wondered on this particular day. He’d come to associate it with the time that he’d been gifted an origami heart in the Florentine chapel. It was a little sick and twisted that on Valentine’s day he’d spend time remembering Florence and Hannibal. Of the heart that Hannibal had left for him, of the love that Hannibal had been capable of giving him when Hannibal was not supposed to feel love at all. And it wasn’t a love that was normal, anyone could see that, but Will couldn’t help enjoy it all the more because of how rare it was. Hannibal had loved Will to the point that he had changed himself, even if he hadn’t been aware of it until it was too late. The fact that Hannibal had not been able to notice the change until it was too late spoke to just how much he’d come to let his guard down around Will. Unfortunately, for both of them Will had not been ready for something like that. Will whose thoughts were filled with revenge for the manipulations he suffered and for having Abigail be taken away. Still Will had wanted to leave the night Hannibal suggested, he’d been so tempted to leave in that moment and he’d been so tempted to convince Hannibal to leave with him when he’d gone to Hannibal’s house. It’s why he had gone after Hannibal, he’d hoped that they could be together and to put betrayal behind them. Will had tried to stab Hannibal out of the jealousy he’d felt towards Bedelia, who had taken his place next to Hannibal. The fact that he had been easily replaced was not something that he had been willing to accept. Will could have spent the entire morning on memories of a past love that bled into the present, but Molly’s movements next to him brought him back before he could conjure up Hannibal in his mind. As he started getting ready for the day, Will built forts and reinforced them, he wanted to think only about Molly today. He had decided to get Molly dark pink roses because the voice in his head wanted to reserve red for someone else. He was sure this voice was Hannibal, he’d never cared about flower language before and would have been fine giving red roses to anyone he’d care enough about to get roses for. He knew Molly wouldn’t read too much into it, she would like that she got roses no matter the color. They didn’t have to worry about dinner, they were going to order take out, neither were particularly good cooks nor did they want to go to an over-crowded restaurant. Will wasn't entirely sure of what else to get her; or more he knew exactly what to get her but wasn’t sure if it was okay for him to invade her mind like that. He tried his best to close his own to what the people around him thought and felt, but he couldn’t keep up the forts all the time he was at home. It was exhausting, so when he did he tried to find only the good in her mind and to use what he saw to make their relationship better. He figured he could get her the necklace she had briefly stared at the last time they went into town. She had wanted it the moment she saw and had secretly wanted Will to buy it for her even though she had said she didn’t like it too much. He’d felt tired and had had a terrible migraine the entire day. He had not been inclined to indulge Molly when she wasn’t being direct with him and was hoping he’d pick up on her emotions. But she rarely did that, so he decided that he should get her the necklace after all. As he drove into town he tried to remember what shop the necklace had been, it could have been the jewelry store or one of the antique shops nearby. He remembered that it hadn’t looked shiny the way that new things do, so it must have been at one of the antique shops. The antique shops were on the same street, so he figured he’d walk past both of them to check the display windows, the first antique shop ended up being the first one that had the necklace. He was going to ask the man who owned the shop for the necklace when a painting of two Greek heroes caught his eye. He goes to look at it closely and it reminds him of a drawing Hannibal once showed him, one he had drawn of Achilles and Patroclus. The painting was that of Achilles helping Patroclus into his armor, so that the Greeks believed they were being led into battle by Achilles. It was a pity that having blurred the lines between them was what led to both of their demise. They reminded him too much of him and Hannibal, the lines between who he and Hannibal were had blurred and it had led to tragedy as well.   
"It may have ended in mortal tragedy, but their love was true and beautiful for as long as they had it. However they were together even in death so that their love never truly ended. When Patroclus died Achilles followed him soon afterward."   
The voice sounded too much like the person he’d hoped he could avoid on this day. He looked up to briefly see a plaid suit and a small smile, but the mirage disappeared as quickly as it had come. He looked at the painting for a little longer before he decided to buy it, the older gentleman that rang up his purchase looked at him curiously but didn’t actually say anything to him. It unnerved him or maybe the man hadn’t actually thought anything of the purchase, it was simply that when anything related to Hannibal came up he felt his heart speed up, some ringing in his ears, and a low nervousness that permeated everything he did. By the time he walked back to his car he had gotten himself back in control bit, he simultaneously felt guilt seep into him. He’d gone to get Molly a gift, but all he had done was remember Hannibal but bought something for them. He didn’t want to go back to the store, he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t see Hannibal again. Molly did deserve better than a man, who couldn’t leave behind the man who had continuously manipulated him. He decided to go to the other antique store and hoped to find a necklace that was just as beautiful, he didn’t want his life with Hannibal to begin to blur with the life he had with Molly. To see that necklace around Molly’s neck and be reminded of a moment he let himself feel something for Hannibal. Will gets out of his car again to go look for Molly’s gift and hopes that he won’t see any more Achilles and Patroclus, tea sets, or anything that reminds him of Hannibal. It seems that God is feeling generous since he is actually able to get a beautiful necklace for Molly without getting anymore memories of Hannibal. Next stop was a wine store, it was a special occasion so they deserved more than cheap wine from the market. Will didn’t particularly care about the type of wine they drank, but he did want to make an effort for Molly. He went into the store and looked around for a wine that was better than what they usually had, but not with a completely ridiculous price. As he looked around a particular bottle caught his eye and again he saw a plaid suit from the corner of his eye. This time he purposely gave his back to the mirage, but that didn’t stop the memory from invading his mind. He remembered how years ago he’d been invited for dinner at Hannibal’s. He hadn’t wanted to socialize or to think about appropriate table manners, and he had also been preoccupied with catching the Chesapeake Ripper. He’d looked for a bottle of wine as a way to apologize for not staying for dinner, he had thought similar as he did now. He’d wanted a special wine that was not completely overpriced. He knew whatever he got Hannibal would probably not be up to his standards, but the fact he had tried would have been more than enough for Hannibal. He remembered his words from then, about having a date with the Chesapeake Ripper. The irony of it makes him laugh a little, Hannibal had been his own competition for Will’s attention. He lets himself feel the twinge of happiness before he reminds himself of everything Hannibal had been responsible. Will had wondered in Florence whether they could endure separation and on days like this he felt the answer was that they hadn’t separated, not really. Not when he could conjure up Hannibal where he was not supposed to be and not when he could hear Hannibal whisper through the chrysalis. Hannibal may not be physically present, but they both had changed the other to the degree that they never could be free of each other. It was terrifying to think about how much they had opened up to one another and how willing to be changed they were, more terrifying was that neither had noticed until it had been too late. Part of Will wanted to get the wine to create a new memory and a new association, but like the antique shop he didn’t want to taint the relationship with either person. To think of Hannibal when he was supposed to think about Molly, and he also really didn’t want to overwrite what he had with Hannibal, at least that’s what the voice in the back of his mind said. He decides then to grab the next bottle of white wine that he sees and hopes it’ll help him block out the shadow of Hannibal during dinner.   
The drive back is uneventful, he listens to the radio. He closely pays attention to the music that plays and it’s enough to keep all of his other thoughts at bay. He thinks that by now Molly must have woken up and taken Wally to school, she should be back by now. He wondered whether he should give her the necklace now or during dinner. She could wear it for dinner or be pleasantly surprised during dinner. He hoped she would like it as much as the one she had seen, and that she wouldn’t wonder too deeply about why it wasn’t the exact one that she had seen. She knew he had a good memory and wouldn’t have gotten confused about which necklace she had wanted. When he gets back home he decides to go into his shed first, he wants to put away the painting. He needs to put it away, it’s too uncharacteristic of him and he doesn’t want to answer Molly’s questions. He decides to put it away in one of the drawers, no one but him comes into the shed, but he rather no one else see it. It’s a bit too personal and it gives away how unstable he still is, how attached he is to a person he has not seen in years. He works in his shed for a while, he makes fishing lures and for a while he isn’t haunted by his mind. Instead he is accompanied by someone he had wished would be his family, Abigail talks to him. She doesn't mention Hannibal, the human heart, or them running off to Florence, how Hannibal saved him, and then gave himself up. Instead she asks him about making fishing lures, about whether he thought she’d actually be good at fishing, she gives him a reprise from all the other dark thoughts in his mind. She rarely visits him now, she thinks that Will does not need him as much now that he has Molly. It might be a little true, but he still longs for the what-if. The Abigail of his mind understood him, of what it was like to want Hannibal despite the manipulations. How being seen as strong was addicting, especially when everyone else saw a fragile teacup; they had both wanted a family in Hannibal and each other. Will glanced at the clock and noticed it was almost one o’clock, he realized he’d gone the entire morning without eating and decided now would be a good time to go into the house for some food. His mind was more settled now and he could handle seeing Molly without feeling so guilty about his thoughts.   
When he went into the house he noticed it was quieter than usual. Usually Molly had music playing as she went around the house. He figured she must have gone out and went to go check for the car in the driveway. He checked through the window and confirmed that her car was gone. It was too early to go pick up Wally from school, he didn’t get out until three and the drive was pretty short. He went into the kitchen, still thinking about where Molly could have gone, but also starting to feel hungry. He saw a note on the fridge with Molly’s writing. 

_Didn’t want to disturb you. Went into town to get your surprise and to pick up Wally. Will be back later. Left you some food in the fridge, make sure to heat it up._  
_Love,_  
_Molly_

  
He looked into the fridge to confirm that Molly had made him a plate. He thought about eating back in his shed, but thought that he should probably dress up a little for their dinner and that he had spent enough time with the ghosts of his past for today. As he ate he thought about what his closet held and whether he could wear something that was more formal than usual but still comfortable. He settled on jeans and a sweater that Molly had gotten him because she said it went with his eyes. He should probably walk the dogs before so that he wouldn’t get too much dog hair on his clothes, not that either of them really minded it. The walk was also blissfully devoid of ghosts and he was able to enjoy being with his dogs, they had always been a safe haven for him.   
He loses track of time so by the time he’s back Molly’s car is in the driveway. He goes inside and finds Wally diligently working on his homework and Molly on the phone with their neighbor finalizing details on Wally’s sleepover tonight, hence why he’s working on his homework. The neighbor will come by in a couple of hours to pick up Wally. They don’t have any real plans besides dinner and a movie, but he figures that they could use some alone time. Before he goes upstairs to shower he offers to help Wally with his homework, which is turned down, and gives Molly a brief kiss. When he makes his way downstairs Molly is at the table with Wally helping him with some of his homework, they go over his work to figure out where he went wrong. He enjoys the sight before offering his help again, Molly is not always great at math. They both look up gratefully when he does offer help. It's nice he thinks as they go over the equation together, they feel a lot like the family he had wanted. He feels a warm content that he has come to associate with the moments it feels like he really is their family. Often it feels like he’s a placeholder for something better or that they are until he can make his way back.   
Dinner is lovely, they have take-out from a nice Italian restaurant that is not too far and was willing to deliver. The food is pretty good and the wine surprisingly goes well with their meal. They have amicable conversation about what is going on in their lives, when they should take a vacation and where to, and whether Will wants to look for a more permanent job other than fixing motors here and there. Will does want steady work that keeps him occupied, he’s thought about teaching in a regular k-12 school, but he’d have to get a new teaching certification. The evening is pleasant and they both feel a little buzzed from the wine, they’re careful to not overdo it because they have to pick up Wally early tomorrow and then take him to school. But the wine has relaxed them enough and there is a certain air to the evening that makes them want each other. After sharing dessert, they make their way to their bedroom. They kiss softly at first, to enjoy the press of their lips together. It’s soft because that’s who they want to be with each other, to be loving, patient, and kind. They do spend some time like that basking in each other’s warmth, until it feels like it’s too much and the touches get more heated. As Will lets himself further relax the small soft hands on his body become larger and slightly calloused. He doesn’t notice what is going on until he hears an accented voice say his name.   
That makes his eyes open abruptly and for guilt to flood his mind, much like it has for most of the day. His hesitancy to continue is obvious enough that Molly stops to look at him curiously, she’s waiting for an answer, but he’s not sure what to tell her.   
“Hey, Will. What’s going on? Where did you go?” She asks so softly that it just makes him feel even more guilty, she deserves better.   
“I… I remembered details from a killer that I had to profile. Sorry, I know it’s not what you want to hear, but the holiday reminds me of him. It’s stupid, I just can’t seem to stop him from entering my mind. I’m really sorry, I was trying my best.”  
“I know, Will. I figured that’s why we never celebrated it much. I’m glad that you tried for me, and you did so well. I enjoyed my evening with you, it felt light and romantic. We don’t have to have sex. I already know that we love each other, and we can always try again on a day that won’t bring unpleasant memories.”   
Will can tell she thinks he worked on a case that had to do with Valentine’s day. He doesn’t correct her, it’s easier for her (and him) to accept this lie. It’s a lie that’s necessary for their family to continue, at least that’s how Will justifies it in his head.   
“Thank you, Molly. You’re the best wife, the best person I could be with,” he whispers to her as he kisses her knuckles. “Could you distract me? Tell me about when you were young? What was the best Valentine’s day that you had?”  
They talk some more about fond memories and other little things until Molly falls asleep. Will stays awake for only a little while after she did, what lulls him to sleep is a song that Hannibal had composed and played for him. And the promise of the Hannibal in his mind that they will soon see each other, that Jack will come and bring them together once again. He knows it’s a fantasy, after all this is the Hannibal in his mind, the one that can echo Will’s own desires more clearly.   
It’s not until the next week that Will wonders if maybe their mind palaces are connected, or whether he knows Jack so well that he knew he would come and seek his help. Will opts to believe the former, that Hannibal and him have blurred to the point that even their mind palaces have been connected. Chooses to believe it because it means that Hannibal is looking forward to seeing him again. 

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to have it up on Valentine's day, but I legit started writing it on that day. I had some other hw assignments that I had to work on so I didn't get it done until today. I really liked this idea so I tried to finish it before all inspiration and will left me. The ending is a little rushed, so I might come back to it and give it a more fleshed out ending.  
> Anyway I hope you enjoyed it and here's my tumblr: https://ffwritingortheattempt.tumblr.com/


End file.
